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Artyom
Artyom (Russian: Артём) is the main character of the games Metro 2033, Metro Last Light and the protagonist of the [[Metro 2033 (Novel)|original Metro 2033 novel]], on which the first game is based. Overview Artyom, born a few days before the bombing, was raised underground in Timiryazevskaya station until it was overrun by a massive horde of rats. Since then, he lives with his stepfather, Alex, in VDNKh (Exhibition). When he was younger, Artyom and some of his teen friends opened the hermetic door of a station north of VDNKh named Botanicheskiy sad. Through this door the dark ones got inside a few years later, and because of the events taking place at this time, he would be branded as their "chosen one" to help the two species reunite. Forward many years when Hunter is investigating the dark ones, their potential threat to VDNKh Station and the rest of the metro system, he appoints Artyom the responsibility of traveling to the center of the Metro to warn the rest of the metro of the danger. In the Games Metro 2033 In the video games, Artyom is depicted as a silent protagonist and a blank slate for the player. Most of the game is narrated by Artyom, with voice-overs during the loading periods. Outside of the narrations, Artyom is nearly always silent and, in many ways, mysterious. During most 3rd person cut-scenes at the beginning of the game, Artyom's face is obscured one way or another. For example, at the beginning, when Artyom is being woken up to meet Hunter, he is sleeping with his arm conveniently concealing his face. However in Exhibition, before leaving, it is possible to go to Artyom's stepfather's office, where there is a picture under a whiskey bottle that looks similar to the parts of his face shown in the game. In an instance where Artyom enters Black Station, Artyom is seen in third person wearing an outfit similar to Bourbon's--albeit with his face still concealed. He appears to have black hair, possibly suggesting that the photo in Alex's office does show Artyom. Near the end of the game, a view can be gotten of Artyom through a helmet. All this confirms is that Artyom is Slavic and has blue or light green eyes. The view of his face is quickly obscured as you see the reflection of the missiles detonating. Given the collection of postcard on his wall, Artyom seems to be a daydreamer. Among these are postcards of Venice, Egypt, Rome, Asia, Ireland and so on. Although Metro 2033 is a story about Artyom's journey through the metro, it's equally also about Artyom's growth as a person. The video game reflects this, and, unlike the novel, gives the player opportunity to influence this. It is suggested by the moral point system that since the events of the game depict one of the first times Artyom has ever left Exhibition (VDNKH) that even somewhat mundane experiences (such as finding corpses, hidden caches, or giving money to the poor) can help him better understand life in the metro system; and consider other answers. Metro: Last Light Artyom appears again as the protagonist in Metro Last Light. In this entry, the player gets a more in-depth look into how Artyom himself is feeling about the events unfolding in the game, in not only the pre-level narration he continues to give, but in the form of hidden journal entries. Oftentimes these journal entries express Artyom's frustrations with the world he lives in: with Pavel, Anna, the Reds, and the near perpetual state of war the metro seems to always be in. Artyom frequently expresses regret in Metro Last Light. Not only over the loss of his mother, and his lack of ability to remember her, but, as time goes on, also in his original slaying of the Dark Ones. Artyom is revealed to be a sentimental, and kind person. As seen in the beginning of the game in Sparta, Artyom still keeps in his room in D6, his postcards, Hunter's dogtags, and his guitar. Conflicted, and in anguish at first over having to slay the Baby Dark One, Artyom, with guidance from Khan rapidly decides to accept and spare the Baby, and the two mutually benefit as a result. Developing quickly from a toxic relationship, Artyom and Anna rapidly grow fond of one another soon after Artyom returns from his trek across the swamp to Sparta Base. After saving Anna from Lesnitsky in Contagion, the two spend time under quarantine. Believing themselves to have been both infected with the virus, the two grow intimate. Despite this, the relationship could still be percieved as being cold - or at least distant. Artyom makes little mention of Anna and their relationship in his journal entries, and on his way to D6 for the final battle, the two don't so much as say a word to one another. In the C'est La Vie ending to Last Light, it is revealed that after their brief sexual encounter Anna became pregnant with Artyom's son. When their son asks about him, Anna responds by stating Artyom was "...the bravest of us all, because he was never afraid to embrace the things he never understood." Though it is as of yet unknown which ending is canon - it is safe to believe that in the other ending, Redemption, Anna still gives birth to Artyom's son. In the Novel Artyom physical appearance is never fully described. The only known traits are that he is taller along with having a bit darker skin tone than other people his age and having visibly Russian features. Artyom is depicted as a bookish, thoughtful, and well-meaning character, who's over-contemplation of things tends to keep him philosophical, but who's inexperience often leaves him helpless (for which he often feels guilty over). Most of this is justified by his, almost hermetic, life in VDNKh - since his knowledge about the rest of the metro is rather rudimentary. Artyom likely has Musophobia, or a fear of rats, because when he sees one he panics and experiences nausea. He was also terrified when he saw a hallucination of Hunter as a rat. The cause of his musophobia is probably rooted in what happened to his parents and station as a child. Original Residence In one section of the novel while attempting to flee from some mutants Artyom barricades himself in an apartment building. After surveying the area he's in he notices a book shelf covered with a sheet. Among the books uncovered he notices a picture drop from the shelf. As he picks it up, he notices that the picture is of a young boy and apparently his mother holding him. On the back side he is surprised with what he finds. "Little Artyom, 2 months old." Although it is implied that this is Artyom's real home, one still has to keep in mind the fact that the name "Artyom" is rather common in Russia. Another doubt presents itself when he shows the picture to his step father when he returns to VDNKh, Sukhoi tells him that he does not recognize the woman in the picture, and that he didn't get a clear look at his mother's face when he saved Artyom from the rats. Epilogue: The Gospel According to Artyom In the epilogue to Metro 2033 Artyom describes his time after Ostankino Tower and the fate of the dark ones. Once returning to VDNKh he was welcomed like a hero as if he was "Coming down from the heavens in a shiny chariot". Artyom thought of himself as a murderer and that he wished himself dead, that a monster would eat him or that he could hang himself from a tree. Artyom wishes that he could tell the inhabitants of the Metro the truth about the dark ones, that they were there to help, that they wanted peace. He believed that they would laugh in the face of the truth or that he had been indoctrinated by the dark ones into believing them. Artyom describes his past in a little more detail, about the time when he, Zhenya (named Eugine in the game) and Vitali 'The Splinter' went to the Botanical Gardens and opened the airlock. Where as in the original novel the events happen very quickly and they are scared back into the metro, the new epilogue goes into detail about what happened. While wondering the surface, Artyom is cornered by wild, mutated dogs. His shotgun not working he tells the others to go. He is saved by a dark one who scares the Dogs away, some of which start to uncontrollably convulse. The dark one pities Artyom, he sympathizes with him. The dark one shows him visions of his mother (similar to the scene in the video game level Dead City ). The dark one parts from Artyom leaving the words "You are the First" in Artyom's mind. The brief, non-hostile interaction with the dark one inoculates Artyom, giving him a barrier against the message of the dark ones. After the Events at Ostankino Artyom out of guilt returns to the Botanical Gardens very regularly. No mutants occupy the former dark ones home, only soot and ash. During one such trip, Artyom sees a lone dark one. Whether or not an illusion Artyom runs towards it, taking his mask and gloves off. The dark one is small, roughly half the height of Artyom. Artyom tries to communicate with it, he touches the dark ones head with an ungloved hand. Artyom see's emptiness in the dark one's eyes and understands that he alone in the world. Gallery File:Artyomcloseup.jpg|The most iconic and canonical image of Artyom, as seen in the Ranger Ending of the Metro 2033 Video Game. Artyom's_room_in_Exhibition.jpg|Artyom's Room as seen in the same game. File:Artyom_.jpg|A man, presumably Artyom, preparing for the surface. SmishPicturesArtyom.png|A reflection of older Artyom's face is present in the game's introduction. 211px-Artyom Metro2033.jpg|The non-canonical model used for Artyom. Mami.png|Similar evidence of the same model's usage. Mama.png|As seen in Exhibition. ArtyomChildWithDarkOne.png|As a child, standing with a Dark One in Metro Last Light. ArtyomAnna.png|Artyom and Anna whilst in Quarantine. Trivia * Alternative spelling of his name is Artem, which is a transliteration of Артём. However, the correct way to pronounce the name is equivalent to "Artyom", because the letter "ё" is pronounced like "yoh" (with a silent h). * In Metro 2034, there is another character called Artyom. Although he shares the name of Metro 2033's protagonist, he is a completely different character and of no relation to the first Artyom. * In the Swedish translation of the book his spelling of the name is Artiom. *In the game, Hunter is aware of Artyom's marksmanship and tactical skills (in which he mentions Artyom's "dead eye shot" abilities) which is probably why he entrusted him with the mission of getting to Miller. *According to TV Tropes, "Artyom is the Russian masculine form of the Greek name Artemisios, relating to the Greek goddess of the hunt. She obviously had to have excellent aim, as Artyom himself is said to have by Hunter...but two of the possible Greek cognate words for "Artemis" can also be read as 'safe' or 'butcher'." **"Other source of this name is Greek artemos (of perfect health) which pretty well fits the fact that Artyom is a good and sensitive man and thus capable of being directly contacted by the dark ones." *In the book, its mentioned that Artyom suffers Musophobia (fear of rats). *Artyom might know how to play guitar as a guitar can be found in both his rooms in Exhibition and in D6 Category:Characters Category:The Rangers